Shoe.



PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

H. F. ROONEY.

SHOE.

APPLICIATION FILED JAN. 17, 1903;

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.-

NO MODEL.

3111mm for No. 770,822. PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904. H.F.EOONEY.

v SHOE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 17, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

pg, t

W Gwynne/1 Patented September 27, 1904.

PATENT Oriucn.

HENRY F. ROONEY, OF RANDOLPH, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,822, datedSeptember 27, 1904.

Application filed January 17, 1903: Serial No, 139,478. iNo model.)

To (I/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. RooNnY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Randolph, in the county of Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inShoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has application to certain new and useful improvements inshoes.

In carrying out my improvements I have in contemplation the provision ofa shoe which shall present when on the foot of the wearer the appearanceof being of a type commonly known as a low-cut shoe, while at the sametime a permanently-closed elastic ankle portion is provided.

It is also the intention of the present invention to provide an instepfor a shoe of this character which shall be located below thepermanently-closed ankle portion and which is capable of being adjustedby means of a longitudinal opening having eyelets for receiving alacing-cord.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tongue-piece whichshall be fastened to the shoe at a point below the lacing-eyelets andshall be attached to and extend upwardly from such point to the top ofthe permanentlyclosed ankle portion.

With these and other objects of a like nature in view the inventionconsists in the pe culiar construction, combination, and arrangements ofparts, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification,illustrated in the appended drawings, and set forth in the annexedclaims.

While I have herein shown my improvements applied to shoes of a specifictype or form, of course it is obvious and will be understood that I donot wish to confine myself to the particular details of construction andcombination of parts as herein set forth, as the same may be more orless materially modified without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

my invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,wherein- Figure l is a perspective view of a shoe of the type commonlyknown as Congress Oxfords, embodying my improvements, the lacing-cordbeing removed therefrom and the lacing-flaps thrown back, illustratingthe use of the tongue portion.

pearance it would have on the wearer. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of ashoe-upper, embodying my improvements and showing the same applied to ashoe of the Congress Blucher type. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing myimprovements applied to a shoe of the Congress French type. Figs. 5, 6,and 7 are detail views of parts of the shoe without being assembled; andFig. 8 shows the form of my improved elastic upper portion.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular to Fig. 1thereof, the numeral 1 indicates a shoe of the type commonly known as alow-quarter shoe. The upper portion thereofthat is, the flaps 3, whichare provided with eyelets for a lacing-cord 2are in this case thrownback to illustrate the construction of my improvements as applied tothis shoe. As hereinbefore stated, an essential feature of the inventionis the permanently-closed elastic ankle portion, (hereinafter designatedby 4,) such ankle portion being adapted by reason of its elastic natureto encircle the ankle of the wearer and fit closely thereto, but at alltimes permitting ease and comfort in walking or running. This elasticportion 4 extends downwardly below the upper edge of the shoe proper andfor practical purposes is preferably out as shown in Fig. 8, which whenassembled in its proper position in the manufacture of the shoe extendsfrom the instep of the shoe rearwardly and upwardly and is secured inthis position to the front stay and the vamp by lines of stitching, asshown at 5, 6, and 7 in Fig. 8, the stitching of course penetrating andbinding the lowcut shoe permanently with the elastic portion. Tofurther'give my improved shoe the appearance of being a low-cut shoe onthe foot of the wearer, I provide a. stay having the appearance of atongue 9, of substantially the Fig. 2 is a side eleva' tion of a shoelaced and presenting the ap.

shape shown in Fig. 5, and this tongue portion is secured in the frontopening of the edge by suitable means, such as stitching, and extendingupwardly is sewed or fastened to the permanently-closed elastic ankleportion by means of lines of stitching 10 10, the flap portions 11 ll ofthe tongue-stay being of course not fastened to the shoe by any othermeans than the aforesaid lines of stitching 1O 10.

A suitable back stay of any preferred material, such as leather, may besecured at the back of the shoe to the upper elastic portion bystitching. This back stay 12 I have shown in detail in Fig. 7.

It will be apparent that the front and back stays extend to or nearly tothe top of the elastic portion, at which point the loops 13 areconnected with said elastic portion by means of the stitches whichsecure said front and back stays in position, the said stays extendingdown to the leather vamp and having connected to or formed integral withthem the usual loop for drawing on the shoe. They thereby eflectuallyguard against destruction of said elastic portion by the strain incidentto pulling on the shoe.

The many advantages of a shoe constructed in accordance with myimprovements are too obvious to need prolonged description. By mystructure it will be seen that I have provided a shoe which when in useon the foot of the wearer shall present the appearance of being alow-cut shoe and at the same time will combine the advantages incidentto the type of shoe commonly known as gaitershoe. Thepermanently-closedelastic ankle portion and adjustable instep portionwill permit freedom and ease of movement either in walking or running,as the elastic top extending down from the instep will give a spring tothe foot and at the same time insure that the shoe shall at all timesfit snugly upon the foot of the wearer, and the leather flaps comingover the instep retain the appearance of a low-cut shoe. It will also beevident that any style or type of lacing may be used, such as elasticlacing, to further assist and retain this adjustable feature; and whenputting on or taking the shoe off of the foot it is unnecessary to tieor untie the lacing. Indeed, if desired, a permanent lacing may beinserted in the shoe.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a shoe, a bottom portion of non-elastic material provided withflaps at the instep portion thereof, a continuous, closed, elastic ankleportion connected with said bottom portion and continued down over theinstep of the wearer, stays connected with said bottom portion at thefront and rear of said shoe, and by longitudinal stitches to saidelastic portion, said stays serving as reinforcing members for saidelastic portion in pulling on the shoe, and connected loops at the upperend of said stays.

2. In a shoe, a non-elastic portion, in combination with a closedelastic ankle portion extending downwardly, and secured thereto belowthe instep of the shoe, and providing a continuous elastic covering overthe instep of the wearer, instep-flaps integral with said non-elasticportion, a front stay and a rear stay connected with said non-elasticportion at one end, and by longitudinal stitches to said elasticportion, said stays comprising reinforcing means for said elasticportion in pulling on the shoe, and said front stay hav-

